Church destroyed by fire helps community and puts own repairs on hold

After a church was destroyed in a February fire, they put their own needs on hold as a part of their mission to help the community.

They’re continuing to give back even while needing help.

This line of people in need of food is no longer unusual, we’ve been seeing it for an entire year.

The unusual part is the people handing out the food because of what they’ve been through.

Linda Clark recalls the day the church caught fire. “there were so many firetrucks, all the smoke, it was devastating,” Clark said. “I didn’t think they would have it anymore, I was so upset, I was really surprised to see the pantry was still going. God must’ve been looking on them.”

The folks at Morningstar Baptist Church are not angry with God about the fire but rather believed that he was looking out for them. Their lives were spared and the church food pantry that feeds hundreds of families each month was, too.

Tony Moxley is the food pantry’s coordinator. “I feel that the food pantry was spared because it’s helping so many,” Moxley said.

Jonh Mulaison volunteers at the food pantry. “God didn’t want it to burn, things happen strange ways,” Mulaison said.

The church may be boarded up, for now, but the pantry is never shutdown.

Michael Dox lives in Tice. “It’s like everybody else you struggle,” Dox said.

“It’s really hard to try to make ends meet,” said Clark.

Those who were blessed enough to receive also made sure to bless others by giving.

“I pray every day for them to be blessed for helping out and providing for people out here,” Clark said.

“It doesn’t matter what tragedy you go through, you will still go on, the faith you have within yourself makes you go on,” said Dox.

That is exactly why, for these people, what they’re doing isn’t unusual at all.

Rebecca Iles is another volunteer. “This is what it means to be a Christian, this is where the rubber meets the road, to serve,” said Iles.

“As the bible says, faith without good works is kind of useless,” Moulaison said.

The fire destroyed Morningstar Baptist Church more than two weeks ago. But, just two days after the fire, volunteers were back in the pantry preparing for this distribution today.

Other churches are fundraising for Morningstar, which is still feeding these families and those families are still paying for the church.